Brown Butter Cake with Cocoa

This impressive-looking dessert takes only 15 minutes to throw together, making it a great last-minute dessert for entertaining. There's no need to pull out the stand mixer either. A whisk is all you'll need to mix ingredients. A good bit of salt enhances all the flavors here.

Texas Sheet Cake

With a presence as large as its namesake state, this humble, easy-to-prepare cake made it all the way to the finals for our best chocolate recipe bake-off. This recipe uses butter and buttermilk in quantities that give it the right indulgently moist texture and rich flavor, but keep a serving at just 10 grams of fat and about 300 calories.

Chocolate Cake with Fluffy Frosting

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are easy to make, and because simple ingredients are used, it's best to purchase premium cocoa powder and dark chocolate. This way, you're making sure that you're getting the purest, richest chocolate flavor. Since they're studded with dark chocolate chunks, just dusting them with powdered sugar is enough to decorate these treats, as it adds a subtle, professional-looking touch. Bake them in muffin cup liners. A dozen of these will go fast so be sure to bake an extra batch or two. Make these chocolatey delights for that special someone on Valentine's Day, or bring them to a potluck or special holiday event.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Instant coffee intensifies the chocolate richness of these cupcakes. For thicker frosting, cover and chill for 10 minutes before spreading on the cupcakes. Refrigerate frosted cupcakes overnight; cover lightly with plastic wrap, or store them in an airtight container.